See No Evil The Sequel to Hear No Evil
by Jazelle1996
Summary: This continues the story from Hear No Evil, which was entirely a dream that House had. He wakes up next to Cameron, who'd been with House a short while. COMPLETE and the Triquel, Speak No Evil, to come soon.
1. Chapter 1

Okay, I think I need to add just a little explanation about the beginning of this.

I've started it off CHAPTER ONE with the vehicle accident and everyone died from the ending of Hear No Evil. House woke up and realized it was a dream and Cameron was leaving House.

Parts of Chapter 1 and 2-4 are actually Up Close and Personal. I wanted to keep some kind of fluidity throughout the story. So, if you've read that, skip to Chapter FIVE.

**NOTE:** This is before his shooting incident for the S2 finale; when time is fast forwarded I will point out when it's AFTER the shooting incident.

**SEE NO EVIL**

**CHAPTER ONE**

……………………………. "Allison, please don't do this……" House begged as he stood at the bathroom door watching Cameron.

"I can't do this anymore. You totally blow me off at work, never mind that you never listened to me any _other_ time."

He stood silent for a moment in deep thought then said, "Do you have some place to go?"

She shot him a glance that would have boar right through him if her eyes were laser beams. "You'd dismiss me just like that?"

"No. I don't want you living on the street." He told her calmly but coldly.

"Don't worry about me. You never have before. Don't you have clinic duty in a couple of hours?" She asked as she wrapped the blanket tighter and looked away from him.

House was either too tired to fight with her or too shocked that she'd just leave him like that. All he could do was to sigh heavily and head back to bed.

HOUSE M.D. HOUSE M.D. HOUSE M.D. HOUSE M.D. HOUSE M.D.

When House got up from bed a few hours later he saw Cameron wasn't on the couch where he'd left her hours before. As he stood at the toilet he noticed all of her makeup, hairspray and personal things were gone. He felt a sharp pain in his gut, but it was from no medical ailment. It was from the fact that she would be moving out in a couple of days.

Later that morning House limped into the lobby of PPTH and headed for the elevator. He tried to ignore Cuddy as he saw her walk toward him and pressed the button repeatedly to hurry up and open.

"House, do you always need to be reminded you have clinic duty?" She asked him, noticing his eyes were unusually dark underneath and he looked completely exhausted.

"Yeah, I'm like almost 50 and that's when the memory deteriorates. Just do me a favor. Don't remind me, Luddy." NOTE: This is NOT a typo. He forgot her name-get it:o) 

She put her hand on her hip and handed him a folder. "Danielle Brookstone is in exam room three. I expect you to be there in 60 seconds."

He looked at her as if challenging her. "I can see that patient in 120 seconds." He said, trying to be cute.

"You better be there in 30 seconds." She replied curtly.

"I can see the patient in 180 seconds." House told her just as the elevator door opened and he stepped in. "Make that 240 seconds. I need coffee." And the doors closed too quickly for Cuddy to respond.

House walked toward his office, not looking forward to seeing Cameron considering the way they left things earlier. Thankfully neither one of them were in the office. He headed to his office and threw his duffle bag on the floor before he sat down in his chair behind his desk, threw the clinic patient's folder in the trash and popped two pills down his throat.

A moment later he looked up to see Cameron and Chase turning the corner toward the conference room whispering to one another and laughing. They entered the conference room and Cameron headed to the coffee machine. House felt like terrorizing someone so he stood up and joined them. He boldly pushed open the door and walked through. Immediately the two stopped talking and looked at him rather pathetically.

"Where's Foreman? I need him to make my coffee." House asked.

Chase and Cameron looked at each other confused. "House, he's still home recuperating." Chase said quietly.

"Oh." He said then walked out into the hallway without saying another word.

HOUSE M.D. HOUSE M.D. HOUSE M.D. HOUSE M.D. HOUSE M.D.

In exam room three, Danielle Brookstone was sitting on the exam table with her four-year old son Tyler next to her, who was behaving very well and quietly looking at pictures in a magazine. She was scratching her cheek and arms where a rash had broken out. Just then a tall, thin man with a cane walked into the room.

"Having problems at home?" House asked as he leaned against the wall, intensely looking at the the woman.

Both she and Tyler looked up in confusion. Well, Danielle was confused but Tyler was just curious about the man.

"Your cheek. Get in a fight with your hubby? You're bruised."

"Of course not. It started out as a cold but now I've got this rash all over, including my cheek." She said as she brought her arms toward him.

"Still have the cold?" House asked.

"I filled everything out on the forms when I first came in." Danielle said, starting to sound put out.

"Oh, yeah, that…" House said, remembering he'd thrown it in his trash can in his office. "I just like to get up close and personal with my patients."

Tyler started to sniff his nose and wiped it with the arm of his sweatshirt. "Honey, I told you to use a Kleenex, not your clothes." She said as she got off the table and reached for the tissue.

"I'm afraid I gave it to him, too. He's had a tiny fever, headache and the sniffles, same thing I had before I got the rash." She told House as she wiped her son's nose.

House looked at Tyler more closely from where he stood and noticed his eyes were bloodshot and just the imprint of a bruise on his cheek.

"Has he had a sore throat?" House asked as he stepped toward Tyler and felt his lymph nodes on the sides of his neck.

"No, he's never mentioned it." She answered.

House continued to examine Tyler's neck and throat, seemingly disinterested in Danielle all together. The one time that House wore the stethoscope around his neck was the one time a little 'walking snot rag' would grab it and blow in it, while the other end was still in his ears. House cringed at the loud explosion in his ears and shot Tyler a dirty look as he grabbed the stethoscope and flung it around his neck so it was on his back.

"I wanna be a doctor jus' like you!" Tyler said with a huge smile but his mother cut him off.

Danielle said rather impatiently, "I'm the one that's sick, not him."

Even that comment got Tyler's attention as he looked up at his mom. "I sowwy you sick, Mommy." He said as he put his tiny hand on her knee, which she paid no mind to.

"This itching is driving me crazy. Can't you give me something for it?" She asked rudely.

House looked at her, walked to a drawer in the cabinet and pulled out a syringe with a needle about five inches long, turned around and showed it to her.

"You're not shooting me with _that_ thing!" She ordered.

"Hey, you can either suffer for the next three weeks or survive a two second shot." House told her as he looked at Tyler and said, "She's a big baby, huh?"

Tyler smiled then a second later his smile slowly disappeared. House noticed his eyes had become unfocused and before he knew what was happening, the little boy went into a full blown seizure.


	2. Chapter 2

**CHAPTER TWO**

An hour later little Tyler Brookstone lie in a hospital bed with an oxygen mask over his nose and mouth. He was awake and humming Chitty Chitty Bang Bang over and over. The medication House administered him to stop the seizure worked immediately then he was admitted for further testing. His mother, Danielle, sat at his bedside, still scratching and complaining that _she_ was the one that was sick, although her son was an inch away from lapsing into a coma. House paged Cameron to the room and she didn't look at him as she entered but looked directly at her new patient.

"Oh! You have one of those, too!" Tyler said excitedly as he pointed to the stethoscope around her neck.

"Don't let him near that." House warned. "The kid will burst your ear drums."

Cameron seemed to ignore him but told Tyler, "If you're good, I'll show you how to hear your own heartbeat. How's that?" Cameron said as she padded Tyler on the knee and he smiled up at her.

"Oh, great, bribe the kid why don't ya…" House started to say but was interrupted by Danielle.

"That shot you gave me hasn't stopped the itching. I thought you are a doctor. Can't you give me something else?" She asked as her nails bore deeper into her scraped arms and neck, leaving streaks of blood on her arms.

"Mrs. Brookstone, if you continue to scratch they _will_ get infected." Cameron warned her but she continued to scratch.

"Stop whining, woman!" House yelled at her. "Remember having the mumps? Or measles? You've got Fifth disease, an offspring of the two. And there's a reason why usually only children get them; because while children tend to not complain about the bumps and itching, adults are a pain in the ass."

Danielle looked at him blankly as House continued his tirade.

"And yes, you gave your son the disease, and you may just have killed him." House shot at her.

"House!" Cameron scolded him.

"Oh, please. You know it's true. Now answer Cameron's questions, quit complaining and _maybe_ if you're good she'll let you hear your heartbeat, too. Yeah, that'd be hot…wait, no it wouldn't. Lollipop. That'll work." He said as he turned and left the room.

Both women stared in awe as the door closed behind him as Danielle asked, "What's his problem?"

Cameron snickered and said, "He missed the second part of the cliff hanger of OC last night because of the day and time change for part two. Ok, I know this is difficult right now but we have to find out what's wr…"

"You mean he's really sick?" She asked dumfounded, like she just realized her son might be dying.

"We don't know. We need to do preliminary tests first to ascertain why he had the seiz…." Cameron answered her, honest and straight forwardly.

Danielle stood up, wiped her hands on her pants and walked to the side of Tyler's bed. She lovingly looked down at him and watched him as he sang his favorite song from his favorite movie.

"Mommy? Why'd dat that doctor have a stick? Dit-ed Daddy have a stick like that?" He asked as she pulled the covers up around his shoulders.

"Yes, baby. Daddy had one like that. You remember?"

"Uh huh. Mommy?" Tyler said as he felt the material of her silk blouse between his fingers.

"Yes, baby?"

"Can you bring Chitty Bang so I can watch it while I'm here?"

"Yes, of course. Anything." She said with a smile and kissed him on the cheek. "We'll be back in a minute. And remember what Dr. Cameron said. You can listen to your heartbeat. Cool, huh? Just like a real doctor?"

"I'd like that, Mommy. Mommy?"

"Yes, baby?"

"I'm gonna sleep now." He said as he closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.

HOUSE M.D. HOUSE M.D. HOUSE M.D. HOUSE M.D. HOUSE M.D.

Cameron and Danielle sat outside in the waiting area outside Tyler's room. While she was answering the questions her eyes never left her son in the room in front of them.

"Does Tyler have any siblings?"

"Yes, umm, Tucker, his twin." She said as she sniffed and reached in her purse for a tissue. "They were fraternal twins. Tucker was born with Down Syndrome while Ty was comp…_is_ completely healthy." She corrected as Cameron wrote down the information.

"Tuck died at two, and sometimes Ty still has nightmares about waking up with his brother dead beside him; he'd died in his sleep. Terrance, my husb…ex-husband, couldn't handle his death very well and we divorced. But Ty remembers him."

Her attention was drawn on Chase who had walked into Tyler's room with a tray with several items on it.

"What's he doing?" She asked nervously.

"He's going to draw more blood for a CBC…a total blood count…to check out his white and red cells in his blood. If there's any type of infection it'll show up."

Danielle settled back into the chair as Cameron continued to get his medical history.

HOUSE M.D. HOUSE M.D. HOUSE M.D. HOUSE M.D. HOUSE M.D.

Back in House's office he was sitting at his desk playing Sodoku on the computer and coming very, very close to beating Chase's low-time score of 47 seconds when his concentration was disrupted by the sudden crashing noise of his office door being slammed against the glass panel. Wilson stormed into his office and stood in front of his desk.

"MAN! I was almost there! Just three more seconds and I would have beaten his score. He will NOT beat me! You moron! You owe me, owe me _big_." House said then threw the computer mouse at him and crossed him arms over his chest.

"Oh, I know you owe me more than you think I do." Wilson shot back as he plopped himself down in a chair.

House's eyes furrowed into his friend as he thought about what Wilson just said. "Dude, that didn't make sense."

"House, Grace died this morning." Wilson said solemnly.

"I thought she was still in Venice." House asked, giving him all of his attention, which was hard for him in the first place.

"She was. She used me as next of kin, since she has no family. I just got the call."

"Well, I think I'd want to be in Venice when I die, but not alone." House said rather coldly and uncaringly.

"House!" Wilson yelled and stood up. "You'd be lucky to have _anyone_ come to yourfuneral."

Wilson turned and headed to the door and almost ran into Cameron as she held the door open for him.

"Cameron, you need to find yourself another man."

She looked at him confused as he stormed into the hallway then glanced at House, whose face had a little bit of remorse and regret for what he said about Grace.

"What was that about?" She asked as she approached his desk.

"Lover's spat…oh, speaking of which...didn't we have one this morning?" He said.

"I thought we agreed not to talk about personal things in the office."

"But this is _my_ office and whatever I say…GOES!" He said trying to be funny but it backfired.

"Yeah, _goes_ out of your mouth into the hallways. Look, I didn't come in here to talk to you about this morning…"

"But we still have to talk, right? Can't avoid that." He said as he stood up and approached her, who suddenly stiffened and took a few steps back.

He stopped in his tracks and looked at her, seriously looked at her like, like he'd never really done before. It was like she was a woman he didn't recognize at all, even if they'd been seeing each other for two weeks.

"Ca…Allison. Are you scared of me?" He asked as he reached for her but she pulled away.

"Nooo." She muttered unconvincingly.

"God…what happened this morning? All I remember is I had a nightmare. Why are you pissed at me?" He asked as he leaned against the edge of his desk.

Just then her pager went off and she immediately reached down and pulled it out of her pocket. "It's Tyler. He just fell." Cameron said then walked out, leaving House baffled.

4


	3. Chapter 3

**CHAPTER THREE**

Cameron rushed to Tyler's room where she found Tyler now lying back in bed with a bandaid on his arm. She looked at Chase and asked him what happened.

"I was checking his coordination and asked him to take a few steps toward me. He lost his balance, fell to the side and cut him self on the edge of the chair. He's fine, though."

"No, he isn't." She said as she headed back to the conference room to write the symptoms on the infamous white board.

As the door closed behind her she stared at House's back, who was facing the white board then she noticed a few letters of the words he'd written down.

'FEVER…NUMEROUS INFECTIONS…BLOODY NOSES…SEIZURE…HEADACHE…Fifth Disease…'

"Add elevated leukocytes and loss of balance." Chase said as he stood behind Cameron. The three stood back and looked at the words on the board as Cameron repeated all Danielle had told her about Tyler.

"Not all of those symptoms are related to Fifth, especially not the seizure." Cameron commented.

"There's definitely something more going on with him." Chase added.

House shot him a stupid assed glare and said sarcastically, "Duh! Ya think!"

Chase returned the glare as Cameron said, "He tested negative for Downs Syndrome. And the elevated white blood cells bother me."

"Cancer?" Chase asked.

"Again, duh!" House said. "Do a lumbar puncture to check for decreased red blood ce…"

"House! He's a four year old! There's no way he'll sit still for that." She said. "And the pain he'll be in..."

"He's lost a brother and he still remembers, right? He's been through pain." House said coldly as he limped out and walked down the hall.

In Tyler's room he lie in bed quietly and contently watched Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, weakly mouthing all the words to the songs and the character lines. He didn't even notice Chase and Cameron come in and his mother standing to talk to them. Chase explained the procedure to Danielle and she seemed rightfully concerned, knowing the pain he'd be in.

"Don't worry. We can give him a sedative after the procedure." Cameron told her reassuringly.

After the two set up the instruments for the procedure Tyler started to pitch a fit about having to stop watching his favorite movie.

"Let's try this, mate." Chase said cutely. "You lay on your side and we'll move the t.v. monitor so you can see it. But we need you to be real still. Can you do that for us?" Tyler looked at Chase wearily but gave into his bribery, as every four year will do.

"Okay, are you ready?" Chase asked as he stood on one side facing Tyler and Cameron prepared to inject the incredibly long needle into his lower spine.

"No, yah, no…Mommy?" He hollered.

"I'm right here, baby. I know you're scared." She said as she ran her hand over his face. She grabbed his hand and placed her right hand on his hip to keep him still.

"Okay, I'm going to insert it now, Sweetie." Cameron said as she brought the needle to the small of his back and slowly, ever so slowly, inserted it. It had gone in only about an inch when Tyler cried out in pain and Cameron withdrew the needle.

"Chase, get House in here." She told him.

"You don't honestly think he's gonna come in here, do you?" Chase argued.

"Mommmyyy! Make 'em stop." He cried out again.

"He was the one that ordered this so let _him_ do it." She shot back as he shrugged his shoulders and left the room.

A few minutes later House walked up to the glass of Tyler's room and stood there staring at Cameron. She stared right back, challenging him to come into the room.

"Mrs. Brookstone, I'll be right back." Cameron said but not to Tyler; he had calmed down and watched his movie again as Cameron walked out.

She slid the door closed behind her and approached House. "Can't do your job anymore?" He asked snottily as he turned to face her.

"I won't put him through that. There are other ways to determine…well, there's not. But…"

"Then have Chase do it."

"No, I won't. I'm with Cameron." Chase said from down the hall.

House frowned at Chase then looked at Cameron. "Oh, you're with Chase? Oooh, I get it. Go, Chase!"

"House! He agrees with me."

"Excuse me, Dr Cameron." Danielle said as he walked to the group. "I've just talked with Tyler. He wants Dr. House to do the procedure."

House looked at her in shock. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, he said he'd be good if _you_ 'poked and prodded' him." She answered hopefully.

"But I'm not very good with needles." House said smartly.

"Dr. House, look. I think it's because of your cane that he wants you to do it because it sure isn't your personality." House's eyebrows rose at that comment and Cameron half-smiled but she continued. "He misses his father, who also walked with a cane from a hip injury in college. He hasn't seen him since he left two years ago and you must remind

Tyler of him. Please, he's all I've got now." She pleaded as she turned and looked at her son lying on the bed.

"Realllleeee? I'm mystified. You came in here all, 'me…me…me' and now you're Mother of the Year!"

"Yes!" She screamed at him as she flailed her arms in the air. "I've been a stupid, self-centered bitch of a mother! But he's lying there in bed, sick, and no one knows why. Priorities change awfully quickly when your child's life…" She stopped talking to catch her breath and wipe the tears from her cheeks.

House smiled at her confession, turned and walked into Tyler's room, with Cameron and Danielle behind him.

"Hey, Tiger!" House said cheerily as he walked toward Tyler, who looked away from the screen and looked at House's cane.

"Hi, Daddy." Tyler said as he closed his eyes and seemed to fall asleep. Cameron and Danielle looked at each other confused and alarmed as House glared at Tyler.

"Cameron, let's do this." House said nonchalantly as he walked to the other side of the bed.

He and Cameron put on rubber gloves and got prepared for the procedure again. Danielle leaned against the door since Tyler seemed to be sleeping and watched them work. Cameron lifted the back of his gown up to expose the small of his back. She then handed House the needle and placed her hands on Tyler's hip just in case he jerked in his sleep. House bent a little to get in a good position for the insertion and brought the needle closer.

The needle barely touched his skin when he jerked and hollered out, "No! Hurts! Daddy!"

House pulled the needle away and acted impatient. Tyler kept saying 'Daddy, Daddy' over and over again. Both Danielle and Cameron looked at him as if he knew what he had to do but didn't make a move to do it.

"House, let me do it. I think he wants you." Cameron said softly.

"I'm not his daddy!" House protested.

Cameron sighed and wanted to hit him. "We know that, but we need to do this and if he thinks his dad is here we can get it done."

"You owe me." House snipped as he handed her the needle.

"Fine. I'll buy you a Rueben sandwich." She said snottily then added, much softer, "With rat poison in it."

House walked away and faced Tyler then looked at Cameron. "I heard that."

"Good." She shot back. "Ok, you ready, Tyler?"

He looked up at House, smiled then reached out and ran his hand over House's stubbly chin. "Dat feels funny, Daddy."

"You gotta stay still, buddy. Keep your hand there if you want to but don't move it." House told him, trying to sound calm.

"Daddy, when we get home you play ball wiff me?"

House reached out and held his hand. "You betcha."

Tyler's face contorted a little as Cameron started to insert the needle in his back. He groaned a little but amazingly stayed still enough for her to insert it further.

"Owowowow…" He whined.

"Ty, you're doing great!" House reassured him.

"Yeah, I bwave, huh?" Tyler asked then took a deep breath and closed his eyes tightly. "I wost my gwuve Daddy." He said between his teeth. "I sowwy."

"Don't worry, Ace. I'll buy you another one." House told him then saw Cameron peak her head over Tyler's side.

"House, don't promise him that. You know you won't get him one." She whispered. "Ok, Tyler…hang in there. I'm almost…there! Still don't move. I'll take it out in just a second." She was relieved it was over now that a clear liquid came out into the tube, but then her stomach did a flip when the fluid became a light brown.

"It don't hurt no more, Daddy." Tyler said.

"Good. You did great…just a few more seconds." House said.

"Ok! Done! I'm removing the needle, sweetie….it's out! Way to go!" She said as she patted his shoulder. "Lay still for a while, though. You're going to be a little sore."

"I a big boy now, huh, Daddy?" Tyler asked sleepily.

"Yes, you are. No one is as brave as you." House told him as he stood and started to walk away.

"NO! Daddy! Pwease stay. Don't gooo." Tyler whined, looking at House with big puppy dog eyes that he just couldn't resist.

"Ok, sure. But just until you fall asleep." He said and sat back down next to him as Cameron took the cart out of the room to take to the lab.

"Cameron, schedule an MRI." House told her.

She stopped and looked at him. "What for?"

"Brain." He simply said.

Danielle looked at him alarmed and he sensed it. "He thinks I'm his dad. There's something more going on."

4


	4. Chapter 4

**SORRY, THIS IS A LITTLE SHORT**

**CHAPTER FOUR**

Later that afternoon House stood outside Tyler's room and watched him with his Mom waiting for the results of his MRI and LP.

"House, it's not good." Cameron said as she walked up behind him, almost startling him. He turned to look at her and saw Tyler's medical folder and a huge envelope, the results of the MRI.

"He's got AML." She said sadly.

House turned back to Tyler's room. "Acute myelogenous leukemia. Damn. Spread to his brain, hasn't it?"

"Yes. I've already consulted with Wilson. Since it has spread to his brain there's nothing that can be done."

"Double damn." House said as he punched the wall then walked away, leaving Cameron alone to tell Danielle that her only son would die of Leukemia.

A few days later Tyler was being released from the hospital after his mother filled eight prescriptions for him. She pushed Tyler in the wheelchair up to the second floor and walked down the hall toward House's office. When House saw them he waved them in with a warm smile.

"I'm sorry to bother y…" Danielle started to say.

"Not at all." House said as he stood, limped to a file cabinet and pulled out a sports themed wrapped medium sized box. Tyler got a huge smile on his face as House walked to him. He handed it to Tyler who looked at it intently for a moment.

"Open it, honey." Danielle told him.

"Thanks, Dr. House." He said happily.

House looked at his mother surprised and she told him, "He knows your not…you know. It comes and goes." House nodded his head, understanding what she was saying.

Tyler ripped the paper off the box and threw it on the floor. He practically ripped the box apart before the contents dropped in his lap. He looked up at House gleefully.

"Look, Mommy! A basebaw gwuve!" He screamed excitedly as he put it on his right hand. "And it's the right shape!"

Both House and Danielle smiled at him. Then his attention was drawn back to his lap when he saw something shiny and metal. He drew in a deep breath in awe at what he saw but couldn't think of a word to say.

"Every young doctor needs one of those." House told him as he grabbed it, spread apart the prongs on one end and placed them in Tyler's ears, a more gigantic smile crossed his face.

"Wow!" He finally said. "Tanks for da stepnahsobe."

"You're welcome, Dr. Tyler." House said and patted him on top of his head with a smile.

HOUSE M.D. HOUSE M.D. HOUSE M.D. HOUSE M.D. HOUSE M.D.

A month later, Tyler stood in his front yard wearing his baseball jersey, cap and glove. He had just thrown the ball to the man a few feet away and he caught it.

"Nice throw!" The man said and waved at Danielle, who had just sat on the front steps of their home.

They tossed the ball back and forth a few more times until Tyler threw the ball to the man, lower than he should have thrown it. He collapsed to the ground holding his crotch, groaning, grunting and in obvious pain. Tyler ran up to the man and asked if he was alright.

Danielle screamed from the porch, "Tyler, Terrance, come on, guys. Breakfast is ready."

After Terrance composed himself they headed for the house. Terrance, Tyler's father, had visited several times since his son's diagnosis and his parents had agreed to be civil during the short time they had left with their son.

HOUSE M.D. HOUSE M.D. HOUSE M.D. HOUSE M.D. HOUSE M.D.

Up the street a man smiled as he watched the family enter their home. He put on his helmet, started the engine of his scratched bike and drove to work; back to PPTH to do the thing he loved the best, even though sometimes the outcomes really sucked.

2


	5. Chapter 5

**CHAPTER FIVE**

After House parked his bike in the handicapped space of the hospital, and before he shut off the engine, he sat on his bike a moment. Something occurred to him: He wasn't _really_ handicapped…well, he walked with a cane but it didn't hinder his ability to get around. But yet he parked in the same spot day after day. He looked behind him and saw an empty 'regular' parking spot only fifty feet away. He looked back at the handicapped sign and thought, _'Well, maybe tomorrow I'll park there.'_

He finally stepped off his bike and limped into the hospital right before 10a.m. and headed straight to his office, luckily without running into Cuddy. Oh, but he didn't have clinic duty. He'd forgotten about that, which was easily explainable after Cameron informed him she was leaving him.

He stepped off the elevator and walked past the reception desk, where a nurse had seen him step off the elevator and watched him until he walked into his office. He knew she was watching him but he didn't pay any mind to it.

"Afternoon, House," Said a familiar voice in the corner of the conference room.

He saw Foreman sitting in a chair with a medical book in his lap. For just a split second Foreman thought he saw a glimmer of happiness in House's eyes, which quickly abated when House said, "It's morning. And what are _you_ doing here?"

Foreman snickered, shook his head and smiled. "I thought I'd give work a try, against my better judgment."

House narrowed his eyes and said, "You were bored, right?"

Foreman gave a hearty laugh. "Yep, pretty much."

House continued to walk to the coffee machine, poured a cup and sat down beside Cameron, who was sitting by Chase. A second later he stood up again, practically pushed Chase out of his chair and sat between Cameron and Chase.

"I'm glad you're back, Foreman. I've been getting all the flack from this man." Chase said, nodding his head toward House.

"Oh, come on, now. There are plenty of snarky comments I've been reserving for Foreman when he got back. I still wuv you, Chassey Wassey." House said sarcastically but with a slight grin.

Cameron leaned back in her chair, got Chase's attention and mouthed, 'Told ya'.

House shot a look at Cameron. "Told him _what_?" House demanded.

She looked at him puzzled that he could have known what she'd said. "Ah, I was in a band, remember?"

"So?" She asked.

"I can read lips. Learned it in Band 101. I got an 'A'. " He replied.

House looked at Chase, then back and forth a few times between Chase and Cameron, like he was waiting for someone to pipe up with what they had said.

"What?" She asked House naively as she shrugged her shoulders.

"You started it."

"Grow up." She shot back.

"Excuse me, Dr. House. May I speak with you a moment?" Sticking her head through the door was the nurse that had been staring at him from the reception desk.

House looked at the woman then looked at Foreman. Foreman stared blankly at House then the nurse again. He noticed she hadn't taken her eyes off of House so he kept his mouth shut.

She started to take a step back when Cameron piped up and said, "House, how can you live with yourself being so rude all the time?"

"It's ok…it's ok." The nurse said and turned and walked away back to her station.

"Why do you have to always be a horse's patooty?" Cameron snapped as she stood up and walked out the door.

"Now, Dr. Chase," House said mockingly, "What was it that little Ms. Cammie told you?"

Chase looked at Foreman, who just shrugged his shoulders. "I'm staying out of that one." He said.

Chase sighed, looked at House and said, "She said you'd be jealous."

A look of bewilderment with a tinge of 'you're joking with me, right?' crossed House's face then a snicker, which was more like a 'psshhaw' then a loud, very faked laugh emitted from his boss. But he never said anything because in a way Chase was right, _'the little twerp._'

"Chase," House said as he walked to his office, "why don't you go find me a 26-letter word for 'cat'."

They watched him sit down at his desk, put on his headphones, turn on his MP3 player and grabbed his Game Boy.

"Thanks for your support, man." Chase said to Foreman.

"You're very welcome, dude."

HOUSE M.D. HOUSE M.D. HOUSE M.D. HOUSE M.D. HOUSE M.D.

A few minutes later Cameron walked into House's office and stood at his desk waiting to get his attention. His eyes were closed but she knew he wasn't sleeping for his fingers were playing 'keyboard' on his thigh. After what happened earlier at his apartment, she hadn't shaken off the anger quite yet.

'_How could I have ever thought I loved him?'_ She thought to herself, and if she could have she would have kicked herself in the butt. _'Well, I did and we can't go back now. At least it only last two weeks.'_

As she stood there thinking to herself she hadn't noticed his right eye was cracked just a little and was searing through her, but he didn't say anything.

After a few minutes of watching her he asked, "Is there a booger on my chin?"

His voice, sexy, gruff voice shook her out of her thoughts. "Uh, no, ummm, House, Peggy, she's the nurse at the reception desk, you know…the one you were rude to…anyway, she said one of her friends is pretty sick."

"So? Get her a card."

"She said you know her."

"I don't know Peg…" He started to say.

"No! Peggy's friend, the one that's sick." She said and sighed heavily.

"Yeah, I know a lot of people. I'm special like that."

Cameron laid a piece of paper on his desk and said, very sarcastically and coldly, "Give her a call. She said to tell you it's Fifi LaRoo."

HOUSE M.D. HOUSE M.D. HOUSE M.D. HOUSE M.D.

Who is Fifi LaRoo? And why was Cammie snippy when she gave him the note? Was she having 2nd thoughts about leaving him?

Please review and let me know what you think. Thanks :o)


	6. Chapter 6

Ok, this is long and I'm afraid a little boring, but this sets up the past relationship between Fifi LaRoo and House. But please don't skip because there might be some vital info in here.

AND THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO ARE REVIEWING AND POSTING. That makes my day. :o)

**CHAPTER SIX**

After lunchtime, or should I say after he stole lunch from Wilson, House headed back to his office to make the phone call he didn't want to make. Well, he wanted to make the call but he didn't, not under these circumstances. He just didn't really know what to say to her. He hadn't heard from her in how many years? _'Man, 20? No, wait, it wasn't that long ago; okay, a little over ten years. I've just known her for almost 20 years.' _

His mind wandered back to when they first met…_FLASHBACK – June, 1987, morning time_

28 year old Greg House is driving his baby, Priscilla, to his hospital that morning. It is the first time he's taken her out for a jaunt in months, and it feels good; good to be out of the house, good to be flying. It is the first warm day of the spring and he is taking every advantage of it.

Driving his motorcycle has always made him feel free, alive, and invincible. He tries to figure out just exactly what the reason is for his lack of fear, for anything. The boy (okay, man) has always had a taste for life that thrills his senses, and brings him just on the edge of death. Speaking of which, he's made two additions on his life list of 'Things to Do, Before I Die': "bungee jumping and parachuting out of a single engine jet. SIDENOTE: If that is totally cool, take up flying lessons"

He is sitting at an intersection at 50 and Pinehurst, watching the cars pass and cursing the light to change in two seconds or else; he's being saying that for four years now, but he was just never in the mood to define his 'what else' threat. He looks in his right side mirror and sees a car coming up beside him but never slows down for the red light. The closer the car gets to the intersection the wider his eyes get at the thought of the car tearing through the intersection and possibly hitting another car. He looks at the light to see if it has changed then to the intersection to see if any cars coasting by.

Out of the corner of his right eye he sees the car rush past him and BAAAMMMM! The sound of metal twisting, grinding against metal, glass breaking, and tires squealing to a halt pierces into him. He hesitates to look at the intersection itself, afraid of what he'll see…and sure enough the scene is a mess.

He doesn't even think, and the next thing he knows is he's pulling Priscilla over, cutting her engine and running to the scene, screaming that he's a doctor. Without even checking on the condition of the idiot that ran the red light he went directly to the other car. He sees the girl behind the wheel, who's conscious but appears to be in shock from the gash in her left temple. He tears off his shirt, rumples it up and applies pressure to the wound until the paramedics arrived.

Almost a later on a Friday night, after the week has been especially tough for him, he decides to go to McDonough's Pub on Riverside on his way home from work. As he walks to the bar he listens to the band cranking Tush; the beat of the drums, the pounding of the keys on the electric keyboard, smooth strumming of the guitar and hard licks of the bass guitar, his stress instantly leaves his body.

But music has always done that to him, even when he was 10 and decided he had a natural talent for guitar and keyboard (ok, admittedly his parents forced him to play piano but he never let them know he liked it) and joined Pete's Pirates, playing for school functions and then during college at the local hangout.

He walks over to a corner of the room sipping his drink to scout the place out for chicks. As it turns out there wasn't a good selection on that particular night so he decides he'll critic the band. '_Not bad, but the lead needs to project her voice_ just _a little…'_

Then he notices the drummer, a girl. _'A GIRL? Oh, please,' _he thinks to himself. But then when he actually listens to her play she is in reality very good. A smile curls up the right side of his mouth as he looks her over. But she looks familiar to him. He's seen her somewhere but he can't place where.

All of a sudden he feels as if he is being watched, which by this time in his life he is used to that, and the drummer catches his eye. It's her that's staring at him, with a smile on her face and her arms flying hammering the tom-toms in a rhythmic spasm with the bass drum. He's not sure how to react because he was used to be the chaser, not being looked at like he was Hugh Laurie and the woman wanted to rip his clothes off.

The song ends and the band members slowly leave the stage, all except the drummer who remains behind the drums and continues to stare at him. He sees her finger point upside down at him and curl up in a 'come here' motion and he looks around him to see if she's actually staring at him or someone around him. He reluctantly walks toward the stage, scooting around dancers in the middle of the dance floor.

"Hey! You wanna play keyboard?" She yells over the music. He frowns at her, bewildered that she knew he plays keyboard. "Come on, Darren said you could use his," she says, almost begging. He wasn't quite sure how to take it.

"No, no, really, I couldn't," he declines.

"Oh, come on! I know you know Hotel California," she says as she stands up, places the drum sticks on the floor by the stool and meets him at the edge of the stage. She jumps down to the floor and continues to badger him. By this time he is completely freaked out.

"How did you know that?" He asks.

"Let's go outside. I need some air," she says as she walks away.

"What makes you think I'll meet you out there?" He challenges her.

She stops, turns around and looks him right in the eyes. "Because, I know you are curious as hell," she grins at him and walks away once more. He stands there, staring at her with his hands on his hips and shaking his head. He smiles.

'_She's right. But how does she know me and I don't know her?' _He can't take it anymore so he proceeds to walk out into the cool spring night air. He sees her leaning against the wall of the building smoking a cigarette, but her back is turned so she doesn't see him approach her.

"Smoking is bad for you," he says as he stops and stands beside her.

"So is riding a motorcycle," she answers. "Did you know there are more deaths contributed to bike accidents than there are on a plane?"

He is taken aback by her forwardness; he wasn't used to being the cheese, he much preferred to be the mouse. "How did you know I play keyboard? I don't know you," he finally says.

She turns to look at him. "But I know you," she simply says, almost in a flirtatious tease.

'_Well, I still don't know you but I think I like you already,'_ he thinks to himself. _'Alright, I'm up for this game.' _"Did we know each other in a previous life?" He asks.

"Yeah, I was the snare drum and you were the stick."

"Ok, now, you're starting to freak me out. Have you seen me play somewhere?"

A huge, wide smile crosses her face and she laughs, loud and boisterous, yet feminine. "I'm sorry. I like messing with people," she says as she flicks the cigarette butt to the curb. "My cousin knows you and I snuck into a bar with him in high school when you were playing," she answers, still with a smile on her face.

He smiles back at her and nods his head. "We didn't…uh…you didn't…there was no hanky panky…" he mutters

and she cuts him off with another laugh.

"No, dude! I was 15!"

"Then why do you look so familiar to me?" He asks.

She looks at him, pulls her hair back with her left hand and he gasps at the scar her hair hid. On her left temple was a vertical scar about 2-1/2 inches long.

Suddenly everything fit into place. "Oh, you were the girl in the car that day?"

She smiles and nods her head. "Docs said if you hadn't applied pressure I would have bled to death right there in the car."

"But you…you never looked at me then."

"The funny thing is, Greg, my Uncle was the E.R. department then, before he retired and my cousin went to school with you. Tony showed me your high school picture so I knew it was you just now. My name is Fifi LaRoo."

_FLASHFORWARD TO THE PRESENT_

"Hello? Hello? _Hello?"_ Came an impatient voice over the ear piece of the phone; he'd forgotten he dialed the number and drifted off in his thoughts.

"Oh, uh, Laura Walton, please," he said, swallowing hard in nervousness.

"I'm sorry, she's off on a world tour with Genesis filling in for Phil Collins," the woman said in total seriousness.

"Oh, oh, ok. Uh, than…" Greg stuttered then a loud, boisterous laugh came out of the phone.

"Greg! You dork! This _is_ Laura!"

And they both bust out laughing, in a way House hadn't laughed so hard many years, from so many memories, so long ago, with her.

4


	7. Chapter 7

**THANKS TO EVERYONE FOR THEIR WONDERFUL REVIEWS! As a friend says, 'YOU ROCK!'**

**CHAPTER SEVEN**

A few days later Laura Walton sat on the exam table in room 3 waiting for House and she was slowly getting pissed. She hated people that weren't on time, but she should have known better with House; that man was never on time.

She looked at her watch, sighed, stood up and was reaching for the doorknob when suddenly it was pushed toward her, hard, and the door smacked onto her bent fingers. A cracking of bones echoed in the door way and then she cursed, which spilled out into the lobby. Several patients in the waiting room looked up from their book, child or whatever they were doing while they waited, to see what the commotion was about.

Laura's head was down a bit, cupping her right hand with her left. When she opened her eyes she saw two feet and a cane. "You idiot! Do you need me to explain to you the meaning of 'knocking is the polite thing to do?'" As she said that her eyes moved from his feet to his face and she became completely dumbstruck. She was looking at Dr. Greg House.

"I don't knock, never have, never will. Besides, I had to get the blood test results before I came to see you. They take _forever_," he said, rolling his eyes.

Laura was speechless. She didn't know if it was over the shock of possibly having broken fingers or at the realization that the man she was looking at was leaning with a cane.

"Yeah, well, maybe you should reconsider that rule because I think you just broke my hand," she replied, but actually wore a smile. He gently grabbed her by the elbow and led her back to the table where she sat down.

"I can't believe it. You use a _cane_ to get girls, now? That's real lame, even for you." She instantly regretted what she'd said because she noticed his face flinched at the 'joke' about his cane.

"Oh, but I have a friend, his name's Wilson, who said it works like a charm," he said as he examined her hand, slowly straightening her fingers while she moaned under her breath from the slight pain.

"Well, it won't work on me. All men are crippled if you really thing about. You know, I should sue your ass because I won't be able to play drums an…" she suddenly screamed when he bent her middle finger straight.

"Ok, I'm not really a doctor but from this purple and black mark that has already appeared, I'd say your middle finger is broken," he said as he walked to the cabinet, opened a drawer, pulled out some items and went back to her.

"That's a shame, because I won't be able to flick you off, then, will I?" she asked then laughed.

"You _do_ have another hand," he said as he placed the roll of gauge beside her and reached for her hand again.

All of a sudden she remembered why she'd actually come to see him. "Well, that's the problem. I've been having some problems lately," she told him. As she rattled off several symptoms, House mentally marked off the 'possible diagnosis' list while he bandaged her hand.

When he was done he scooted back on the stool and looked at her very closely while she spoke. It was ten years since they'd seen each other, and she looked so different: her face had thinned out a bit, making her chin more prominent and her cheekbones mysteriously seemed to have moved up; her hair was a dirty blonde with red highlights and, well, everything else was the same.

But her eyes; there was something about her eyes, and it bugged him that he couldn't put his finger on it soon enough. _'They are the same slate grey they'd always been, but there something missing, the spark, maybe?' _

"…and then when I had sex with those two women in the corner of the park I…" she playfully said because she realized he had zoned out. The words he'd just heard snapped him out of his own thoughts, his eyes flew open and his mouth dropped.

Laura started to laugh really hard and when she regained her composure she said, "Glad to see you haven't changed, Pooh. You're still the pervert I knew and loved." Her cheeks blushed a little when she said 'loved' but it didn't seem to faze House.

"And you are still the antagonist that brings out my pervertedness, Fifi," he told her with a laugh.

Then he did the most miraculous thing: he reached out his arms, put them around her waist and placed his cheek against hers. She giggled quietly when his short beard tickled her cheek and she returned his hug.

"I've kinda missed you," House said, seemingly choking on his own words.

She slowly let go of him, pushed him slightly away and told him, "I'll give you $100 if you shave the beard."

"No, no way! The beard is my back up. If the cane doesn't work the beard always gets the ladies."

Laura laughed again and said, "Greg, I am _not _touching that comment with a ten foot pole!"

Once they stopped laughing House told her to go get x-rays of both hands, the right one to confirm the finger was indeed broken and the left to see if it would show anything.

This case interested him. He had no clue what was wrong with her hand. But was it the case that interested him, or Fifi LaRoo? He watched her walk out the door and smiled a genuine, heart felt smile.

"Yeah, I loved you too," he said to no one in the room as he placed the bandages in the cabinet and left the exam room to go back to his office, a bundle of mixed emotions.

HOUSE M.D. HOUSE M.D. HOUSE M.D. HOUSE M.D. HOUSE M.D.

A few minutes later House walked into his office and was surprised to see no one was in the conference room except Cameron, who was sitting at the desk, the chair turned away facing the window. He couldn't detect her mood from her body language because she sat motionless.

She'd be moving out the following day and he wasn't sure how he felt about it. The past few days since he'd had the nightmare had been rough for the both of them. She slept on the couch while he slept in his bed and would always be up, showered and left for work before he even woke up.

He couldn't stand the silence between them. Even when they did speak there was a coldness that emitted from her and he didn't like it, not from her. He had tried, many times, to have a heart to heart talk with her but he couldn't do it.

'_What's the one thing that we bond over?'_ he asks himself. _'Ok, well, other than sex.'_ He looked at the medical chart of Laura's and a bell went off in his head.

He walked into the room and loudly exclaimed, "We've got a new case, Goldilocks." He threw the folder on the desk by Cameron and walked to the coffee machine. She didn't flinch.

He walked to her as he sipped his coffee, racking his brain to think of something clever. When he saw her face he dropped his coffee mug, bent down on his left knee and smacked her, hard, on her face.

"Allison…CAMERON! Wake up!" he yelled as he felt her pulse and her pupils. Her complexion was pale, her eyes were black in a half-circle under her eyes and her mouth was slightly open, with a little drool streaming down from the corner of her mouth.

"No, Cameron, no, no!" he said, as he reached for his phone and called Cuddy's office.

"You didn't have to do this…you didn't…"


	8. Chapter 8

-1**CHAPTER EIGHT**

Two hours later Cameron was lying on a bed in the E.R. with Chase sitting in the chair next to her and Foreman checking her vitals.

"I can't believe she did this again," Chase said as he shook his head.

Foreman looked at him and said, "Well, the week has been pretty tough on her, though. She's supposed to move into that new apartment tomorrow. She sure won't be able to handle it now, not after coming off the meth."

"The Chlorazine should help, but it's not enough. They'll still be a little meth in her system, even after several hours," Chase said as he reached out for her hand. "Where in the hell is House, anyway?"

"Think he's still with Cuddy. He was real shook over finding her."

"He _should_ be! It's his fault, you know," Chase said.

"Chase, he didn't force her to take the meth," Foreman said, defending House.

"No, but I told her…I TOLD her to stay away from…" Chase started then cut himself off, stood and headed for the door.

"Where are you going?" Foreman asked.

"To see House."

"Oh, no. Not a good idea. Let's get something to eat," he suggested.

Chase walked out the door and Foreman had to run a bit to catch up with him, grabbing his shoulder and whirling him around before they reached the elevator.

"Chase, you aren't in the right mind to confront him now. You're still upset…wait, wait a minute," Foreman said, his eyebrows rose as he thought of something. "You still have feelings for her, don't you? And you're blaming House for what she did."

Chase glowered at Foreman. "Weren't you the one that gave Cameron the 'I'm not your friend' speech? Well, I'm saying the same thing to you. So BUTT OUT!" Chase shouted and started toward the elevator, with Foreman right behind him.

He again grabbed Chase's shoulder and forced him around, so hard that he lost his footing and slammed into the wall, Foreman pinning him.

"I won't let you go in there. Believe it or not, I know House still cares for her, as a colleague, even, and he's having a rough enough time with it. Don't you think he's blaming himself for what Cameron did?"

"Good! He should blame himself."

The elevator doors opened and Wilson stepped out, stopping in mid-step at seeing the two men against the wall.

"What's going on?" he asked. The two men ignored him but stood in silence, staring each other down with intense hatred toward each other. "Is Cameron alright?"

Foreman felt Chase relax a little and backed up just enough to insure he wouldn't outright fist him in the mouth. Luckily he didn't; all he did was straighten his lab coat collar.

"Foreman, why don't you take him somewhere to cool off," Wilson suggested.

"Cool off! I don't need to cool off. I need to kill House."

"Chase, you need to calm down. House _is_ taking this harder than you think."

Foreman piped in, "Come on, we're going to the cafeteria."

"No, we're not." Chase said angrily, standing his ground.

Foreman looked at Wilson, who nodded his head. Foreman hid the fist he'd just made at his side and, taking a breath, clouted him right on the chin. His head flew to the right but didn't fall.

As he came back around to look at Foreman he said, rubbing his chin, "What the HELL did you do that for?"

"Because you needed it," Foreman said truthfully.

Chase leaned against the wall again and secretly agreed with Foreman. He quietly walked off toward the cafeteria, with Foreman behind him and Wilson headed to Cameron's room.

HOUSE M.D. HOUSE M.D. HOUSE M.D. HOUSE M.D. HOUSE M.D.

Back in Cuddy's office, both she and House sat on the couch talking. She'd finally calmed him down enough to where he could get his thoughts together and talk coherently.

"House, I know it's difficult to end any relationship, but she's right. You have GOT to get that under control. You should never have gotten together with her in the first place."

House looked up at her, his eyes swollen from a few tears that had fallen before. "What, are you jealous?" he said sarcastically but seriously.

"Shut up, House! You know what I meant. You know, I am so used to you and your idiot ways that you're like an abandoned puppy. But it might just so happen that one day that puppy's going to bite, which you did."

"What the hell are you talking about?"

She sighed and said, "The puppy is so lost, confused, doesn't really know itself and it gets mad one day and bites."

"I didn't _bite_ Cameron," he defended.

"No, but you pushed her in a corner and…" she sighed heavily, searching for the right words to say. She huffily leaned back against the couch. "You know, I think you've even got _me_ confused."

"Well, we all know you are a blonde underneath that Miss Clairol look," House said, attempting to be funny but it backfired. She stood up, put her hands on her hips and stared down on him.

"Go home, House."

"I want to check on…"

"No, you won't. You will go home and stay there for a week," she said sternly.

"And what makes you think I'll do that?"

"Because I've just decided to suspend you for a week," she said as she walked back to her desk and sat down.

He stood up, walked to the desk and practically got in her face. "You can't do that!"

"I just did. Now go home."

"You can't make me go home, Cuddy," House challenged her, raising his voice significantly.

She looked him right in the eyes, picked up the phone, waited a moment and said, "Security to my office, now." House stood in silence as she replaced the receiver in the cradle and leaned back in her chair.

"You can either have security drag you out or walk on your own. The choice is yours."

House grinned sarcastically at her, like he was a child being put on restriction and daring his mother to back down and take it back.

He heard the door open behind him and a voice say, "Dr. Cuddy, is everything okay in here?"

"I don't know, yet. I'm waiting for Dr. House on that," Cuddy answered, returning House's sarcastic grin.

House sighed under his breath, turned around and walked out of the office then out of the hospital in a huff, making tire burn marks on the pavement as he roared out of the parking lot on his bike, not even bothering to put on his helmet.


	9. Chapter 9

**I should mention that drinking is BAD for anyone!**

**The poor spelling that House speaks is purposefully misspelled so as to provide a better feel for the scene of which I am trying to project to the readers. **

**I apologize for the shortness of the chapter, and maybe the content. I kinda had a blank because I'm using all my brain cells on The Morning After and I couldn't think of anything.**

**PLEASE DON'T LET THAT deter you from not reading anymore:o) It'll get better. I am NOT drunk:o)**

**CHAPTER NINE**

Later that night, House sat in his apartment alone again (naturally). He was lying on his back on the couch in pitch blackness, his left leg dangled to the floor from the knee and his right leg was propped up on the back of the sofa cushion. It was quiet, which he liked that way, although he could hear the faint squeaks coming from the wheel in Steve McQueen's cage.

He had a full glass of Scotch in his hand which rested on his stomach, and a dry bottle of Scotch on the coffee table. He started drinking as soon as he walked in the door that afternoon and was surprised he'd finished the remaining half bottle. Well, he'd be surprised if he hadn't been so totally drunk out of his mind.

He lay thinking, but about what it's hard to say. His brain was literally mush at this point so anything he thought of he'd either forget right away or it didn't make sense to him. His eyes grew heavier and heavier as he forced himself to finish the last swallow of the alcohol.

"Steeee…vvvvvv! Brin' meee 'nother boddle of Scotdge,ole boyeee!" House hollered, making his own self jump at the sudden break in the deafening silence. He burst out laughing, at nothing, really; it was purely out of drunkenness.

He tried to sit up but he couldn't. His head started to spin as he sat in a vertical position and he flopped back against the sofa cushion. He looked around his apartment was totally baffled at what he was seeing. The piano – there were two, and they were gold; the guitar on the wall kept sticking it's tongue out at him; and the t.v. was showing a rerun of Mash 2077, but it wasn't even turned on.

"Steeeevvv HICCUP nee' eeewww come pickkk meee upp." Then he burst out laughing again. "Oooh, eye'm sooo funneee! Mousieeee cayunt pickkk mee up."

When he finally succeeded getting off the couch, his head stopped at he stood vertical, but his body didn't, and he ended up smack dap, face down on the carpeted throw rug. "dowww, dat herd," he groaned into the carpet and slowly rolled his head to one side so as not to break his nose, which, come to think of it, he might actually have done it already.

When he finally got himself capable of getting off the floor he did so, granted it was half an hour later, but he did do it. He walked, more like stumbled back and forth, swayed to and fro, grabbed on to the wall or whatever breakable item he could get his hands on to keep his walk steady. But it didn't work; every step he took, even with a lift of the foot by a three foot high advantage, he'd still trip over his own feet.

Just as he approached the bed the right foot landed not on the floor but his left foot and he tumbled forward, right on the bed, on his stomach. "Annn heee scores!" he shouts, lifting one arm in the air as if he was a referee in a soccer game and they just scored a point.

After a few minutes he forced himself to turn over on his back, which left him facing the phone on the nightstand. "Steeev! Ge' mee Anjoeleena's HICCUP fonnn numb! Wannna congrat the HICCUP happeee couple on da baybee!"

He broke out in another drunken laugh and reached for the phone, bringing it to an inch of his eyes. "Yeppp, diss is da fonn!" He dialed a few numbers, but what he didn't realize was that instead of attempting to dial Wilson's phone number he hit 'redial.'

"Hello?" came a sleepy, clearly female voice on the other end.

House hesitated a moment before he slurred, "Willie? Yoooo soun' like a gurl!"

"Maybe that's because this isn't Willie. Wrong number," she said.

She was about to hang up the phone when she heard, "Fifi, esss dat youu?"

"Yes, who the _hell_ is this? Oh, wait, I know that Dr. Jekyll. Greg?" Laura asked.

"Da wuunn an' only!" he said proudly, drunkenly, but proudly.

"What are you doing?" she asked seriously.

"I gunnna call Andalena Joyle-olie! You half herr num-HICCUP-ber?"

"Oh, god. You're drunk, aren't you?" she asked, now disappointed.

"Nooppp, ak-cha-lee," he hesitated a minute, "I'm verily soberrr. Bud poow Steeve, he drank a whole boddle of Scotchchch. I think _he's_ the one dat's drunk."

Laura sighed loudly, purposefully sounding really put out into the phone receiver, but she really wasn't. "Well, I was going to go shopping with Norma but, I think you will need a babysitter tomorrow. Want me to come over?"

"No…yesss…no…HICCUP... well…naught if you don' half too," he slurred.

"Where are you now?"

"I'mmm in New Jerseyyy, where are youuu?" he asked then laughed like it was the funniest joke he'd ever said.

Again, Laura sighed. "Are you home?" There was no answer, just a gurgle sound that told her that was a 'yes.' "Greg, I'll get your address from the phone book. Give me…ten minutes. The hotel isn't that far from you."

"kay," came a stutter and then a click.

Laura looked at the receiver and shook her head. "That man never did grow up, did he?" She then proceeded to get dressed to go babysit a grown man, a drunk one, but a grown man, nonetheless.


	10. Chapter 10

-1**CHAPTER TEN**

Cameron just came around a few minutes after Chase and Foreman left. She remembered hearing their voices but couldn't exactly remember what all they said. All she knew was her head hurt. And her heart hurt. _'Why can't love be easy?'_

She slowly opened her eyes and they felt like there was sand in them. She rubbed them, a little too hard as little white dots flittered around in her eyes. She looked down on herself and noticed she was still wearing her work clothes, so it must not have been serious. She felt a prick in her arm and saw the bag of fluid hanging from the I.V. stand.

She sighed heavily and closed her eyes again, her head felt as if it were going to melt into the pillow. She heard feet shuffling in the room that headed for her so she opened her eyes again and saw Wilson standing by the bed, a pretend smile on his face.

"Wow, do I look that bad?" she asked.

"Uh, no, it's just…never mind."

"Wilson, what is it?"

"Nothing serious."

"Come on, I know you well enough to know when something has happened."

He relayed the story of the fight between Chase and Foreman. "You have GOT to be kidding me," was all she said.

Wilson nodded his head. They're in the cafeteria right now."

Cameron hesitated a moment and asked, quietly, "Where's House?"

He shrugged his shoulders. "Don't know."

"I've got to move tomorrow and all my stuff is still at House's and…"

"We'll take care of it. I'll speak to Chase and Foreman about helping with your move."

"No, no, I can't ask you guys to do that," she protested.

"Just calm down. I'll talk to the guys and we'll set it up. By the time we are done talking you should be good to get out of here."

"Wilson, I really don't want to be alone tonight." she said with a tone of nervousness.

He nodded his head. "But you know, what you did has still got to be addressed."

She sighed heavily and turned her head toward the window.

"I'll be back, okay? Don't worry about anything," Wilson said with a wink and left her alone.

HOUSE M.D. HOUSE M.D. HOUSE M.D. HOUSE M.D. HOUSE M.D.

Chase and Foreman sat in the cafeteria but neither of them got anything to eat. Chase got coffee to calm his nerves and Foreman got a soda.

"Chase, I think you really should talk to Cameron about how you feel. There's no way she would have 'attacked you' like she did if there wasn't something there."

"Now isn't the best time, not after just leaving House," Foreman stated.

Chase hesitated a moment after he thought about it.

"And you know she can't be alone tonight. Someone will have to watch after her, Foreman continued."

Just then Wilson walked up to the table and took a seat. "Hey, you two got anything planned this weekend?"

"I've got a date," Foreman said quickly, a little too quickly.

"Me, too," Chase chimed in.

Wilson examined them both very closely and ascertained they were both lying. "Chase, meet me in Cameron's room at 8pm. She'll be ready to check out then. Foreman, meet us at House's at 9am tomorrow morning."

Chase frowned at hearing Cameron's name and shuttered inwardly. _'No, I can't. I can't see her tonight. No way.'_ he thought to himself.

"Great! Then it's all set," Wilson said.

HOUSE M.D. HOUSE M.D. HOUSE M.D. HOUSE M.D. HOUSE M.D.

A half hour later after House got off the phone with Fifi he still lay on his bed when the front door bell chimed. "Commmminnnn," he said, but more to the mattress than he did to the front door. Then there was a loud, persistent banging on the door, with intermittent bell chimes.

"COMMMMINNNN," he repeated.

"Greg! It's Laura! I'm coming in!"

'_Good! Finally!' _he thought to himself as he rolled over on his side, but ended up flopping onto his back.

He heard her come through the living room and enter his bedroom. "Hiiiii, FeeeeFeeee!" he stuttered, making her stop in mid step and look at him in disgust, but then a smile spread over her face and she approached the bed.

"Greg, have you not learned?" she asked, putting her hands on her hips.

"Noppers! Never half, neve' will." He tried to sit up but got dizzy. "…gotta peeeee," he mumbled, looking at Laura unashamed.

"Hey, you're on your own there, buddy! I can't help you there," she shot.

"Then can't you bringgg the toilet here?"

She rolled her eyes. "No, too heavy. But I can get you a bucket."

"oooohooohhhh, gonna beeee…..oohhhhh." And at that House shot up from the bed and ran to the bathroom; without his cane he wobbled, but the pain didn't seem to affect him.

Laura followed him with her eyes and tried not to laugh, remembering all the other times she'd seen him run to the bathroom. She heard a ralphing sound come from the bathroom and she walked in and stood in the doorway.

After a few minutes she grabbed a washcloth, ran it under cold water, approached him then handed it to him. It took him a second to realize it was there. He wiped his lips, chin and sat back, facing the toilet.

"You ready to go back?" she asked.

"eeehhh uuhhhhhnoooo"

"Tough. You can't stay there on the floor. You need to get back to bed to sleep that alcohol off," she said as she approached him, reached down for his hand to grab it. "I won't hurt you. I've picked you up off the floor more than once," she said with a small laugh.

After a few minutes she got him standing, put his arm over her shoulder and walked him to the bed. He flopped down on it hard and fast, making Laura laugh.

"Ok, you gotta undress me, now," he said teasingly.

"Uh, you're the one that's drunk, AND delusional. I'll sleep on the couch. Got a pillow?" But by the time she got the word 'pillow' out he eyes were shut, his right hand curled under his chin and he looked so…so…adorable.

She smiled, grabbed a pillow and walked to the living room, shutting off all the lights on her way. She got settled on the couch and closed her eyes, smiling to herself.

HOUSE M.D. HOUSE M.D. HOUSE M.D. HOUSE M.D. HOUSE M.D.

Ok---next chapter: Where does Cameron stay the night?

And will Fifi be gone in the morning when the gang gets there to move out Camerons' things?


	11. Chapter 11

-1**Thanks for the reviews, everyone! This is for those that have been complaining about neglecting this over The Morning After. A nice, long chapter:o)**

**CHAPTER ELEVEN**

Earlier that evening just before 8:00pm, Chase and Foreman met Wilson outside Cameron's room. She was sitting on the bed and appeared to still be 'out of it.' Chase looked at her but then looked away quickly, afraid she'd see him look at her, for some strange reason.

"Okay, all the paperwork is signed and she's agreed to stay with me tonight. Remember, we'll meet at House's place at nine. Depending on how Cameron feels, she might or might not be with us. But I know what's hers from House's. And I've already got a rental van so that's covered. It should only take us a few hours. And I'll order a pizza when we're done. Gotta feed you two growing boys."

Both men nodded their heads and walked off but Chase caught one more look at her before they turned a corner. She was looking at him this time and it broke his heart. He could see the pain and hurt in her eyes, and the hurt wasn't from taking the meth. It had always been easy for him to read her easily, and this moment was no exception. Chase decided right then and there to do something about it.

Wilson walked into Cameron's room pushing a wheelchair and approached her, grabbing a bag with a few of her things.

"I don't need that," she grumbled as she gave him a dirty look.

"Well, I need my exercise." She reluctantly stood and sat down in it, getting a firm grip on the sides of it. "Are you still dizzy?"

She quietly nodded her head. "A little."

"Well, don't worry. I don't have a date tonight, so it looks like you're it," he teased her as he wheeled her out of the room and down the hall to the elevators.

The two were quiet the whole time he helped her in his car, returned the wheelchair and drove her to his apartment. He had no trouble holding her under his arm as he led her into his place and headed straight for his bedroom.

"Wils…I'm not sleeping with you," she muttered and tried to stop.

"No, no. I'm sleeping on the couch. I'm used to it, anyway. Don't worry, the sheets are clean," he said, trying to be funny but it seemed to fly right over her head.

She grunted as she sat on the edge of the bed and looked up at him and said, "Wilson, thanks."

"Hey, no problem," he answered with a smile. "Now lay down and get some sleep."

He stood watching over her for a few minutes until her breathing was relaxed and she was sleeping peacefully, which surprised him. To Wilson, Cameron seemed to have filled the space in him that longed for a sister, and he liked it. The few times they talked it felt good to be so upfront with someone that didn't make a snarkey comment or scoff at him or made him feel stupid. Yeah, he liked Cameron.

HOUSE M.D. HOUSE M.D. HOUSE M.D. HOUSE M.D. HOUSE M.D.

A few minutes after three in the morning House started coming back around off his Scotch drunk. He was aware of the silence in his room but hadn't yet opened his eyes, he was afraid to. He didn't quite remember what happened hours earlier, but for some reason Angelina came into mind, well, she always did.

He rolled over on his side and only then did he risk opening his eyes. When he did he thought he was in a casket, with linen surrounding him on one side. _'Great, I really did it this time, didn't I. Well, at least it's nice linen,' _he thought to himself. Then when his mind cleared (as much as possible with half a bottle of Scotch still in his system) he smiled to himself when he realized he was on the floor and looking at the side of the bed. It was the bed sheet he stared at.

The smile quickly disappeared as he rolled over on his back and tried to sit up. When he did, it felt like his body suddenly stopped but his head kept going. _'Bed spins, God I hate those.'_

He remembered making a phone call but couldn't remember who it was. '_Man, I'm thirsty…ugh, and I need to brush my teeth,_' he thought to himself. He slowly stood with the aid of the bed and limped to the bathroom, not even turning on the light. He opened the medicine cabinet mirror and reached for the toothbrush and paste, dabbed some on the brush then started to brush his teeth.

The taste in his mouth seemed to overpower him unexpectedly and he grew nauseous, threw the toothbrush in the sink and knelt in front of the toilet. Nothing came out but the fizzly contents of the paste and that only made him sicker. He heaved and belched but only a little liquid came out; he figured he must have gotten rid of some of it earlier.

He put his weight against the toilet and pushed himself up, turning toward the cabinet to rinse out his mouth.

BAAAAMM!

"DAMNIT!" he cursed out loud, rubbing the outside of the right cheek as the corner of the cabinet dug into his cheeks as he stood. He closed his eyes and flicked on the bathroom light, only opening his eyes slowly so they could adjust to the light. He looked in the mirror and already saw a small trickle of blood appear. _'Great,' _he thought to himself.

He walked back to the bed, threw the covers back on the bed, laid down and within seconds he was fast asleep again, except this time with a minty fresh mouth.

What he hadn't seen was Laura peering around the corner of the bedroom, watching his every move. She wasn't stalking him, she just wanted to make sure he was still in one piece, which, she was glad to note, he was - or would be eventually.

HOUSE M.D. HOUSE M.D. HOUSE M.D. HOUSE M.D. HOUSE M.D.

It was 7:30 in the morning and Cameron had been up the past few hours, sitting on the bed just thinking; thinking about what a fool she'd been about everything that had happened the past week.

She heard a noise in the kitchen and smelled coffee, and knew she'd have to get up to help the guys move her stuff. Well, her mind was willing but her body didn't seem to be. She stood, a little too quickly but got dizzy, forcing her to sit back down. After a few minutes she composed herself and was able to shuffle into the living room toward the kitchen. She stopped at the doorway and watched Wilson move around in the kitchen, totally oblivious to her.

"Hey, can I have a double cappuccino espresso latte, skim milk, please?" she said with a smile.

He turned around and smiled back at her. "Of course. Come sit down. How are you feeling?"

She slowly walked to the table and sat down heavily. "I'm not sure yet."

He poured her a cup of coffee and set it on the table in front of her then he sat down beside her. "Are you hungry?"

She looked up at him like he was insane. "Heck, no."

"It should only take us a few hours to move your stuff to your apartment, you can stay here and rest," Wilson offered but Cameron objected.

"No, of course not. I did this to myself and I knew I had to move today. I'll come."

"You sure?" Wilson asked concerned.

She nodded her head and sipped her coffee, relishing in the taste of the warmth and caffeine that entered her body.

"After you're done with that we'll leave." Wilson said, and Cameron nodded her head.

HOUSE M.D. HOUSE M.D. HOUSE M.D. HOUSE M.D. HOUSE M.D.

Laura woke up on House's couch at 7:30, bright and cheery. But she'd always woken up that way, except for the nights she was up until 4am loading up the band equipment and headed home when she was with the group. She turned on the t.v. and watched the cartoons, an old past time favorite of hers, which wasn't really the same as watching Scooby Doo originals or Jabber Jaw.

She planned on making breakfast for House when, IF, he woke up. The best thing someone can do after drinking as much as he did was sleep. A little before nine she decided to take a shower and took her duffle bag she'd packed with a few things into the bathroom.

The shower was too short for her but she didn't want to take a long one. She had to keep her ears open to listen for House waking up. She stepped out, rinsed herself off then heard the doorbell chime go off. She grumbled, wrapped a towel around her and headed for the front door.

She peaked through the peep hole and said, "Yes?"

The men and woman standing there looked shocked at first, then the cute blonde one said, with no accent, "Uh, we're here to move some stuff out." She was confused for a minute until the blonde cutie said, "I'm Wilson, this is Chase, Cameron and Foreman. House knows us, I hope."

She smiled at that and opened the door. "Sorry, I just got out of the shower."

The other blonde guy's eyes popped out of his head, the black one elbowed his side and the woman sent death rays at Laura. They quietly walked in and Laura excused herself back to the bathroom.

The group walked to House's room, albeit hesitantly, considering the strange woman was practically naked, and stood aghast. They saw House lying in bed, the sheets in a massive tangle around his body, in nothing but his jockey shorts.


	12. Chapter 12

-1**CHAPTER TWELVE**

"Well, fine, he doesn't need to be awake for us to move stuff. Oh, and guys, make as much noise as you can," Wilson said with a laugh. He turned to look at Cameron who had turned ashen.

"Cameron, you don't have to be here," Wilson told her as he saw the confusion, hurt and hatred in her eyes as she stared at House. "You can sit…"

"No, I'm fine," Cameron snapped then turned to grab a box and headed to the kitchen.

Chase and Foreman hadn't yet started to pack anything, as they really didn't know what to pack up yet. Wilson shrugged his shoulders and headed for the kitchen.

"The guys need you to tell them what you need packed." She looked at him, dropped the box and reentered the living room. Just as she did so Laura walked out from the hallway, fully dressed.

"Sorry about that. I'm Laura Walton, an old friend," she said as she extended her hand to each of the new arrivals, all but Cameron, of course.

"But I didn't think House _had_ any fr…," Chase started to say but again Foreman elbowed him because he thought the woman was a hooker.

Laura laughed, as she caught on to their little act. "Yeah, you're right. Friend _is_ a little presumptuous, let's just say we're close acquaintances."

Cameron's eyebrow rose over one eye as she scrutinized Laura. "Well, I'm sure you've done your duty for him, so maybe you should leave now?" Cameron said snottily as she started throwing some books and knick knacks into a box. Laura just stared at her dumbfounded.

"I'm sorry if I've…uh, well, you all are here. I should get going." Laura said as she turned, grabbed her duffle bag and headed to the door.

She reached out for the door and heard from behind her, "You're just gonna kiss and run? Guess I don't have to pay you," House said coyly from the bedroom door, which he was leaning against to keep his balance, as his head was still spinning.

Laura turned around and said, "I don't know what's going on here, but I'm clearly not wanted here."

She turned the doorknob then heard, "Stay, Laura. It's not you that's not welcome," House said as he shot a glance at Cameron, and the look sent shivers down her spine.

"House, we're only helping to move a few thing…," Wilson started to say, while Chase and Foreman remained quietly observing the scene unfold before them.

"Cameron, leave," House said.

She stood her ground and told him, "I'm not leaving until my things are packed. Who knows what you'll keep for yourself."

"Oh, honey," he said insolently, "your pink lace undies don't fit me, anyway. But the red bra, that fits."

Laura tried her best to sneak out of the apartment but House stopped her. He limped slowly toward her, keeping the palm of his hand on his thigh and closed the door. He turned back around and faced the group.

"This is Fifi LaRoo, Cameron, you remember her? The case that nurse wanted me to take? The case you tried to get me to take? She and I, as shocking as it may be to all of you, have been friends a long time, and NO, Cameron, she is _not_ a hooker!"

Immediately Cameron felt her cheeks burn and knew she was beginning to blush, even though she was pale as a ghost.

"Greg, I don't know what the hell is going on here but I'm not too sure I like it," Laura said.

"Oh, well, here's the scoop," House said as he walked to a side table, grabbed his bottle of Vicodin, popped two and replaced it on the table, swallowing two down. "Cammie and I broke up earlier this week and the little _girl_ is all heartbroken and jealous now that I've already found me another woman, a _real_ woman."

"Shut up, House," Cameron spat at him.

"House, this isn't the time _or _the place for this," Wilson fussed at him.

"Oh, but Jimmie, I've just gotten started!"


	13. Chapter 13

-1**This chapter is dedicated to AtreidesHeir, who had the little fight with me for the right wording. THANKS, DUDE!**

**CHAPTER THIRTEEN**

"Cameron and I have only been together not even a month and _she_ can't handle me taking the pain medication. She hasn't _changed_ me," he says as he waves his arms in the air like he was doing a magic trick. "It is her decision to leave, _not_ mine."

House continued as he turned to Cameron and said, "You just needed someone, _anybody, _that you could try and fix. Since that hasn't worked you pull out your "victim" card and get everyone's sympathy. Just like you did when your husband died!"

"That's not fair! You have no idea what it was like for us…for him," Cameron said defending herself.

"I don't need your help, Cameron."

By this time Chase and Foreman had resigned to standing in the corner of the room, looking at their boss, whom they'd never seen act this way, and their coworker having a lover's spat. Chase hated it, while Foreman was quite amused. Wilson, on the other hand, was listening to every word, and mentally agreeing or disagreeing with what they said to each other.

"Sure you don't need my help. The Vicodin are giving you horrendous nightmares now. Who's to say you won't wake up delirious or take too many Vicodin or too much morphine and crash on your bike? Or even accidentally overdose? Believe it or not, there are people here that care about you. You just _can't_ accept that, can you? You'll die alone, House. Can you accept THAT?"

House was getting frustrated but was just warming up to their little War of the Doctors. "I haven't slept well for years. The pain killers have nothing to do with anything."

Cameron scoffed at that. "It has _everything _to do with it."

"Look, this is about you and your insecurities. I can accept who I am and what I am doing. Can you say the same about yourself? If anyone should be worried about suicide, you're the one that we need to be watching."

"Whoah, MY insecurities? Oh, believe me, I know who I am, what I am doing and where I want my life to go. And I made a BIG mistake thinking it was with YOU. I haven't even moved OUT yet and you have another woman here? Oh, please, Dr. 'I know everything and you don't.' YOU are not worth killing myself over." There was definite venom in her words now and her face had become very tight with anger.

"Laura is not _just_ another woman. She is my friend, someone who's known me a long, long time and she accepts me for who I am. She understands me in ways that a messed up, immature little girl like you could never even _dream_ of. And you say I'm not worth killing yourself over? Well, you'd better take a long hard look at yourself, because with the behavior you've been exhibiting lately, there sure as hell is something that is driving you in that direction."

"What behavior? Because I'm fed up with having an addicted boyfriend who can't get off pain meds for me? Yeah, I guess that makes sense to you. But what DOES make sense to you? Do you even _know_ anymore?"

Laura interrupted because she had become very uncomfortable and definitely out of place. "Wait a minute, Greg. Maybe I should go. You two have issues to work out. I don't want to get involved in this."

"No," House said turning to Laura. "I don't want you to leave just because of _her_. My leg...well, let's just save that juicy story for some other day. It's not a big thing, I deal with it." House turned back to Cameron.

"You and I are over. That's what you _want_, isn't it? You knew going into this that I was not going to go off the meds. I need them to function. I need them to be able to do my job. Even Wilson, who's my physician, will tell you that. You have no right to even ask me to do such a thing. You have no idea what it is like."

Cameron ran her hands through her hair. "You're right, I don't know what it's like. I only see how it makes _you _like. Look, I saw what my husband went through and I saw the pain…," she took in a deep breath as if the words were fire coming out of her throat, "he was in. I wanted to die, the pain was so bad; it hurt to see him in so much pain. How do I know you won't…," she hesitated before she continued, "Shit, I swore I wouldn't say this." After her little speech she was clearly out of breath and went to sit on the couch.

House watched her sit down, cocked his head at her and asked, "How do you know that I won't _what_?" Kill myself?" he laughed. "Is that what you're so worried about? Or is it that if I did that you would have to feel quilty all over again? Everything is about you isn't it?"

Cameron felt the tears build up in her eyes but tried to hide them as she replied, "because...bec…"

Wilson softly said, "Tell him, Cameron."

She shook her head. "I can't, Wilson, it's too...painful."

House turned to Wilson and gave him a strange look. "You two have been talking about me behind my back? _Nice_, Wilson. So much for trust. What, Cameron? What do you need to tell me?" he asked mockingly.

Cameron spat at House, "Oh, look who thinks the world revolves around _him _now! It's all about you, isn't it?" she said insultingly. "Stop it! Just stop! Because my ex husband killed himself by taking an OD of Percocet and downed it with alcohol." Her body started to shake and she sobbed heavily. Wilson started to approach her but House waved him off and shook his head.

"What does that have to do with me, Cameron? I'm not him. He probably did it just to get away from you nagging!" He popped another two pills over dramatizing the whole scene. "This conversation is getting nowhere. Why don't you just pack up your stuff and go!"

"Wait a damn minute, House! You may be her boss at the hospital but right now you aren't! Can't you see this is painful for her!" Chase shouted at House.

"Oh, and what are YOU going to do about it, Pretty Boy?" House hissed at him.


	14. Chapter 14

**CHAPTER FOURTEEN**

"Stop it, both of you!" Wilson ordered as he stepped between the two men. Chase had taken a few steps towards House, and Wilson held his hands up to Chase to prevent him from an outright strike to House's face.

"No, he started this. End it, Chase. I know you wouldn't hit a cripple," House challenged him, narrowing his eyes.

"Don't count on it, House!" he yelled. Foreman took a few steps towards Chase to hold him back but Chase thrust his shoulder forward to lose contact and his fisted right hand came awfully close to its bearded target.

"Knock it OFF!" Wilson ordered again as he extended his arms with his hands on House's chest and pressed his body back to keep Chase at bay. "Back away, House."

House remained silent for a moment then took a slow, tentative step back. Wilson turned his body away from House to face Chase and said, "Calm down. Step back."

Chase gave House a death glare before he stepped back, too, with Foreman standing within easy reach to insure Chase wouldn't make a sudden preemptive strike against his boss.

"This is _my_ fault," Cameron said, her voice shaking and soft, almost inaudible. She wiped the tears from her cheeks, wiped her hands on her jeans and silently walked to the door and opened it. "Will you all excuse us for a minute?" she asked, but it was more of a direct instruction than a question.

One by one the men and Laura filed out of House's apartment in stifled silence. Cameron softly shut the door, turned around and walked to the couch, not once looking at House as she sat down. His back faced her, and as he spun around her eyes grew wide at the glass in his hand, filled half full with a dark liquid. She instinctively opened her mouth to say something but the look in his eyes stopped her – it was as if his eyes said, 'Go ahead. I _dare_ you to say something about me drinking before 9 a.m.'

When she didn't say anything a triumphant smile crossed his mouth then he walked towards the chair beside the couch and sat down, not once did he take his eyes off of her. A few times Cameron's lips would part in words that never came and the more she did it the more she dissolved deeper into the sofa.

"How long are we going to play the 'Eye Contact game'? I'm really good at it. But you'll lose," he said playfully but with a bit of mockery in his voice.

She ignored him and said, "Greg, I nev…never meant for it to get this far."

"Riiiight," he said calmly, pausing for dramatic effect, "too late for that, don'tcha think?"

"AGH! You are an insufferable JERK, you know that?" she said loudly as she threw her arms up in the air. "But you're right; I knew that coming into it what a handful you are. I thought I could handle it – handle YOU. Boy, was I wrong," she said as she crossed her arms over her chest and stared at the leg of the chair House sat in.

House slowly sipped the Scotch from his glass, but only small sips. He really didn't _want _a drink this

early; he just did it to piss her off, and by the look in her eyes when she saw the glass it worked. He slowly stood up and with help of the cane limped into the kitchen, dumped the remaining Scotch into the sink and returned to the living room, but he sat next to Cameron on the couch. He looked at her but she didn't look at him, and it was this way for several minutes before House spoke up.

"To be fair, you're right. I am a jerk. I've always BEEN a jerk. And more than likely I will ALWAYS be a jerk. But that's why I fought you off: to save you from that…," he hesitated a moment, "to save _you_ from me."

She looked at him for the first time since he'd gotten the liquor. "I didn't need you to do that."

"And I didn't need _you_ to save _me_, either," House said calmly.

Those words struck Cameron, and struck her hard. "You mean…I wanted to save you while you wanted to save _me_ from _you_?" Her eyes softened and a single laugh of 'ha!' came out, quickly followed by more giggles.

And she couldn't stop laughing, yet she did try to. House looked sideways at her and thought to him self that she had finally lost it; she'd lost all control of her emotions. Still, he did nothing to stop her, either. He just watched her laugh, occasionally wipe the tears from her cheeks and wonder when she was going to stop.

Five minutes later she'd finally calmed down and was able to breathe without having to grasp her sides from the painful aches that shot through her stomach from the laughter.

"Oh….oh! That is just, that's so…," she said, not making sense but it was as many words she could get out until she caught her breath completely.

"Feel better?" House asked, handing Cameron some Kleenex from a box that sat on the end table.

She nodded her head as she wiped under her eyes and blew her nose. She handed the used tissue back to him and was about to say 'thanks' when House blurted out, "I AM NOT TAKING THAT SNOTTY RAG FROM YOU!" He said it seriously and she looked at him alarmed, but she relaxed when she saw the corner of his mouth curl up in a smile – a weak smile, but it was a smile nonetheless.

"You know, we still have to work together," he said as he reached over and wiped a lone tear from her cheek with his thumb.

"Greg, did you even _love_ me?" she dared to ask, and was ready to accept the answer like an adult.

"Cam, it's like this: I know myself better than anyone, regardless of what they say. I _had_ to stay away from you to avoid…what just happened. Yes, Cameron, I love you, even though I don't show it. I like you bringing me coffee and showing concern over me and standing up for yourself. You have so much potential to be a great doctor, even though you don't see it, I do. Why do you think I push you the way I do?" Cameron simply sat quietly looking at him, trying to digest the words that she knows is absolutely killing him to say. "But I'm not _in_ love with you."

Cameron looked at the shape of his face, the blueness of his eyes, his soft lips, and it all suddenly made sense to her. What he just told her was exactly how she felt towards her husband. She knew she loved him, but was she _in _love with him? For her to honestly answer that she had to do some deep soul searching which only took about thirty seconds.

"Oh, God," she muttered. House furrowed his eyebrows in confusion at her comment. "I never saw it until now."

"Never saw what?"

"Oh! And I…she…hooker…oh, I'm gonna be sick."

"Don't spew on my couch, woman!" House barked, but she looked at him adoringly and smiled. "Don't worry. I'll explain everything to Laura later. Now go get freshened up for our guests," he said as he stood and reached out for her hand.

"I'm so embarrassed…," she said but he cut her off.

"Shut up and wash your face. We have packing to do," he said as he winked and softly pushed her towards the bathroom while he veered off to open the door. Only when he heard the bathroom door close did he unlock the door and opened it wide, stepping back to let them him.

What greeted him were three men falling flat on their hands and knees in the doorway – victims of eavesdropping.

"AHA! Serves you right! But, wait, I like to be bowed to. Fetch my ale, Scallywags!" House screeched, waving his left arm in the air for added flair.

Chase, Foreman and Wilson quickly stood and dusted off their knees while Laura took a few steps inside. "Hey! I'm the wench!" Laura said jokingly.

"Get us ales too, woman or we'll mutiny on your ass!" Wilson said jokingly.

THE END

**Okay, I hope this ended on a light note because…well, just because! All my energy and emotions seem to be put into The Morning After, which is/will also be Chase and Cameron….before y'all mutiny against ME!**

**:o)**

**Thanks four comments and reviews!**


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